Leaf-hinge.



H. W. SHELP.

LEAF HINGE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 21, 1912.

L l 29,24@ Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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HENRY W. SHELF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOS.

LEAF-HINGE.

Maggio.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 19H5.

Application filed April 27, 1912. Serial No. 693,527'.

adapt-ed for music, although itmay also be applied for other purposes where it is desired to have a substantial and flexible bind m0'.

lhe objects of this invention are to pro` vide a hinge, or strip of fabric for forming a hinge, which may be readily applied to the leaves and when so applied will forman exceedingly flexible and substantial joint or connection; to provide a simple and eicient means for binding music or the like; to provide a hinge or back whichwill vpermit the book to be opened so that the leaves will lie flat without any tendency toward cloting; and to provide such other advantages and desirable features as will be pointed out hereinafter. l accomplish these objects by means of the novel and simple form of device which is illustrated in the accompanving drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view showing the method of applying my improved hinge strips to leaves and how they are secured together; Fig. 2 is an end view showing a number of leaves secured together by my improved hinge; F ig. 3 is a similar view showing the book closed; Fig. Ll is a plan view showing a modified form of the hinge strip; Fig. 5 is an end view showing one method of connecting a number of sections together to form a book, and Fig. 6 is a similar view showing another method of forming a book. y

One of the principal features of this invention is to provide a hinge member or strip which ismade so that a considerable number of these strips may be arranged one on top of the other and then fastened together so that at the joint or point of fastening the thickness will be much less than the combined thickness of the edge or leaf engaging portions of the fabric. ln order to do this, l provide a hinge strip 7, which comprises narrow leaf engaging portions 8, 8, and a central hinge or joint portion 9. rl`he leaf engaging portions are preferably woven the same as any ordinary cloth or fabric, that is with longitudinal and transverse threads, while the hinge portion 9 comprises merely transverse threads. rlhese transverse threads are preferably arranged sufficiently far apart so that when a number of these strips are superimposed one on the other, the threads of one strip may be pressed down between the threads of another strip, for instance as indicated in Figs. l and 2, so that the combined thickness at such point will be much less than` the combined thickness of the leaf engaging portions. For instance, with the transverse threads sufficiently farapart, a number of these strips may be sewed or fastened together, so that the thickness at the center will not be any greater than a single cross or transverse thread. l prefer to have this improved hinge strip 7, woven in the form indicated, that is with the longitudinal threads omitted from the central portion and then this strip may be cut into any desired lengths to'be applied to the leaves.

Where only two leaves are to be joined, for instance the leaves 1() and 1l, their innery edges are pasted or otherwise secured to the engaging portions 8, 8, of the strip 7 which completes thejoint or hinge. `Nlien lmore leaves are to be secured together to form a pamphlet or book, each pair may be secured to strips 7 as indicated in Fig. l and then laid on top of each other with the joint or hinge portions 9, coinciding. |lhese hinge portions are then fastened together by sewing, as indicated at 12, thenV when the leaves are folded together, as shown in Fig. 3, an exceedingly thin and flexible hinge will be provided. On account of the hinge being so relatively thin, the leaves may all be of substantially the same width so that when the book is trimmed the margin will be substantially the same for the leaves-in the center of the book as in the outer portion thereof. It will be noted that the cross threads 9, give practically no resistance toward bending, so that the book will open flat and the leaves remain wherever opened. rlhe stitching 12 is usually done in the center of the hinge portion 9, so that this hinge portion is practically divided longitudinally into two sides, thereby forming as it were a double hinge, each leaf being free to swing from the joint formed by the sewing.

ln the form of hinge strip shown in Fig. 4, l provide a relatively strong thread or oord 18 Which is Woven in, or otherwise secured at the center of the hinge space 9. This form is adapted to be used for the outer hinge member where a number of leaves are to be secured together so that When the strips are sewed together the stitches Will go down through this cord 13, and thereby strengthen the joint.

As shown in Fig. 5, a number of sections 14, and 16, Which have been arranged in substantially the manner above sug gested, have their hinge members 7 seWedthrough to a back 17, preferably made of strong cloth, thereby7 uniting these sections to form a book.

As shown in Fig. 6, the hinge strips 7 are made with varying Widths of joint portions 9, and these are sewed together at a number of places as indicated at 18, 19 and 20, Which sewing or stitching may also pass through a back 21 of cloth or other suitable material. From these illustrations it Will be readily seen that my improved hinge strip or joint strip may be readily applied in a variety of Ways and these strips may be secured together by sewingor other suitable fastening means, such as staples or the like, to make pamphlets or books of any desired size orthiclrness. These strips may be provided along the engaging portions 8, 8, with gum or muoilage so that the strips may be sold and then applied to the leaves, or the strips may be applied -by manufac- 'turers directly to the leaves by pasting or otherwise so as to form the completed pamphlets or books. It will also be noted that suoli binding strip may be varied in construction and may be applied in various Ways Without departing from the spirit of this invention and therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the exact form shown except as hereinafter pointed out in the claims, in which I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a

leaf hinge comprising a single strip of fabric having longitudinal threads at the outer sides only, the flexing portion of the hinge comprising the middle portions of the transverse threads `which threads extend entirelyT across the fabric and are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit similar threads of other strips to be pressed between them.

2. A binding for leaves, comprising a plurality of strips of fabric having longitudinal threads at the sides thereof, but omitted from the center, the flexing portion of the binding comprising the transverse threads which extend entirely across the strips, said transverse threads being spaced suiliciently far apart so that the threads of one strip may be pressed into the spaces between the threads of another strip, and means for fastening said flexing portions together.

HENRY W. SHELF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

